Highest-graded tight ends from the 2023 NFL season: George Kittle paces the group

2T0RMX3 San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez)

• George Kittle put together a standout 2023 campaign: He recorded 29 gains of 15-plus yards (tied for first) and led all tight ends in deep receiving yards (232).

• Travis Kelce joins Kittle with an 80.0-plus grade: He now has nine consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and six consecutive seasons with over 100 catches.

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Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes


Before we go full steam ahead into free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft, we’re taking one last look at the top players in the NFL at each position.

Here were the top 20 tight ends in the NFL by overall PFF grade in 2023.

Click below to view other positions:

QB | RB | WR


1. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers: 87.7

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
568 101 73 1,132 7 46

Few tight ends were able to stretch the field like Kittle in 2023. He recorded 29 gains of 15-plus yards (tied for first) and led all tight ends in deep receiving yards (232). Kittle averaged 9.9 depth yards per target, tallied 7.3 yards after the catch per reception and gained 279 yards after contact.


2. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs: 82.6

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
662 155 125 1,339 8 69

Kelce showed that he still had plenty of juice in his age-34 season. Not only was he the Chiefs' leading receiver in 2023, but he also led all tight ends in targets, catches, yards and first downs. Kelce tied George Kittle in explosive gains (29), forced 20 missed tackles and was the NFL's most-targeted tight end in the red zone (26). He now has nine consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and six consecutive seasons with over 100 catches.


3. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens: 78.8

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
290 62 47 559 6 27

Andrews missed the final six games of the regular season and still finished among the top three Ravens in targets, catches, yards and touchdowns. Andrews generated the second-highest passer rating when targeted (135.1) among tight ends in 2023, only trailing his teammate Isaiah Likely (141.2).


4. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings: 78.8

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
508 124 95 960 5 48

Hockenson was on pace for his second consecutive 1,000-yard season before tearing his ACL in Week 16. He led the Vikings in catches and finished second on the team in yards and first downs. Hockenson led all tight ends in third- and fourth-down yards (351) and moved the chains 21 times (third most).


5. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions: 77.0

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
603 144 107 1,065 11 59

Sam LaPorta put the league on notice in his rookie season. He was the second-most-targeted tight end in 2023 and the only one to record 10 or more touchdown catches. Nine of his touchdowns came in the red zone, while six came off play-action passes (first).

Click here to read PFF's latest 2024 mock draft!

6. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals: 76.3

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
406 105 81 825 3 42

McBride led the Cardinals with 81 catches for 825 yards and recorded 19 gains of 15-plus yards. He led all tight ends in yards per route run (2.03) and notched 383 yards off play-action passes (first).


7. Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints: 75.3

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
224 39 33 291 2 11

Hill caught 33 of his 39 targets for 291 yards in 2023 — all career highs. Nearly all of his yardage came on early downs (264), and 21 of his catches came within nine yards of the line of scrimmage.


8. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys: 74.5

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
573 108 81 854 8 47

Ferguson established himself as a weapon for the Cowboys in 2023, leading all tight ends in red-zone yards (130) while ranking in the top five in first downs and touchdowns.


9. Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears: 73.7

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
424 88 73 719 6 36

Kmet set career highs in catches and yards while recording his third consecutive season with 500-plus receiving yards. He finished third among tight ends in deep yards (149) and gained 580 yards on early downs.


10. Tanner Hudson, Cincinnati Bengals: 73.0

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
226 49 39 352 1 21

Hudson’s usage spiked in his first year in Cincinnati (28 career targets in first three seasons). He recorded six catches of 15-plus yards and caught his first career touchdown in Week 14. Most of his production came in the second half of the season. From Week 11 on, he caught 25 passes on 31 targets for 226 yards.


11. Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars: 71.6

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
617 140 114 963 4 47

Engram recorded his first career 100-catch season and was the only Jaguar to do so in 2023. He ranked in the top five in first downs and missed tackles forced (16) while recording 14 gains of 15-plus yards. Engram led all tight ends in short-area production (80 catches, 690 yards) and second-half production (58 catches, 519 yards).


12. Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans: 71.5

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
473 93 65 715 6 38

Schultz recorded his fourth consecutive season with at least 60 catches and 600 receiving yards. He stretched the field for Texans, recording 392 yards on targets beyond 10 yards from the line of scrimmage (fifth most). He finished in the top 10 in missed tackles forced (13) and gains of 15-plus yards (16).


13. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles: 71.0

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
470 87 63 613 4 34

Goedert benefited greatly from play action in 2023. He finished in the top three in first downs (17) and explosive gains (10) while generating a 112.1 passer rating. Health will be something to monitor, as Goedert missed eight games over the past two seasons due to injuries.


14. Darren Waller, New York Giants: 69.4

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
355 72 52 552 1 25

Injuries have cost Waller 23 games over the past three seasons, including four in 2023. He still finished second on the team in catches, yards and explosive gains (12). Most of Waller’s yardage came from the short area of the field (328), and he led the Giants with 15 conversions on third and fourth downs.


15. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots: 69.3

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
370 62 42 419 6 29

Henry was New England’s second leading receiver in 2023, one of three Patriots to record more than 400 yards receiving. He paced the team in target rating (105.5) and third- and fourth-down conversions (11).

Click here to read PFF's latest 2024 mock draft!

16. Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills: 68.8

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
516 101 81 777 3 34

Kincaid came into form during the second half of the season. From Week 7 on, he led the Bills with 659 receiving yards while ranking second in catches (64) and first downs (30) during that span.


17. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns: 68.2

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
558 131 88 975 6 39

Njoku posted career marks across the board while leading the Browns in targets, catches and touchdowns. He led all tight ends in missed tackles forced (23) and explosive gains (24) and ranked second in yardage gained on third and fourth downs (336) and play action (368).


18. Luke Musgrave, Green Bay Packers: 68.1

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
296 52 40 418 2 19

Musgrave missed four games late in the season with a lacerated kidney. He still finished second among all tight ends with 164 deep receiving yards and ranked seventh in passer rating when targeted (112.5). Most of his yardage came in the second half of games (289).


19. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons: 68.1

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
466 86 53 667 3 35

Pitts rebounded from an injury-plagued 2022 season (28 catches, 356 yards) but is still looking to return to his rookie form (1,026). He set a career high in touchdown catches (three) while gaining 453 yards from passes targeted 10-plus yards downfield (third most).


20. Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers: 65.8

Receiving Snaps Targets Receptions Yards Touchdowns First Downs
306 50 37 384 2 20

Freiermuth missed four games with a hamstring injury early in the season and returned in Week 11. Most of his production came afterward, as he closed the season with 29 catches for 331 yards and 16 first downs.

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